1. Field of the Invention
The invention is related to wireless communication networks, and in particular, to wireless communication networks for processing call traffic over backhaul networks.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recent growth in cellular telecommunications traffic has spurred an expansion of existing wireless networks and a build out of new wireless networks. These wireless networks include network elements connected across a backhaul network to process and transport communications. In the past, service providers, such as wireless communications companies, built their networks end-to-end with equipment purchased from a single equipment vendor. Constructing a network with equipment from a single vendor provides elements that interoperate over the backhaul network. However, rather than build networks with equipment from a single vendor, service providers may desire to build their networks with equipment acquired from multiple vendors.
One problem with building a network with equipment from multiple vendors is that often times equipment from one vendor is not able to interoperate with equipment from another vendor over the backhaul network. A typical network implementation includes a mobile switching center (MSC) coupled to multiple base station systems over a backhaul network. If the MSC and base station systems are all from a single vendor, they are able to communicate according to a single proprietary communication protocol. For example, an MSC from a particular vendor would understand the format of call traffic transferred from a base station system of the same vendor. In contrast, a network implemented with equipment from multiple vendors is undesired if the various elements are unable to operate together. For example, a base station system from one vendor may transfer call traffic in a format that an MSC from a different vendor is not able to process. Thus, service providers are prevented from purchasing equipment, such as new base station systems or MSCs, from multiple vendors if the equipment is not inter-operable.
To solve these problems, the telecommunications industry has proposed Inter-vendor Operating System (IOS) standards to support backhaul operations for multiple-vendor equipment. IOS is also sometimes referred to in the art as an Inter-vendor Operating Specification. However, building networks end-to-end with IOS equipment eliminates the technical advantages compiled by the equipment vendors over the course of developing their own proprietary standards. Additionally, implementing IOS standards across a network would require either removing legacy equipment or making expensive modifications to the legacy equipment. Thus, service providers may desire to implement networks with modified legacy equipment rather than removing the legacy equipment, and equipment vendors may desire to provide equipment inter-operable with IOS standards while retaining their own technical advantages.